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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25490839">By the Empty Lake</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MJays/pseuds/MJays'>MJays</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Gigolas Camp AU! [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, Camp AU, Fluff, Gigolas - Freeform, Gimli is a gay mess, Humor, Legolas too but the perspective doesn't let it know yet, M/M, Pining</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:09:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,417</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25490839</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MJays/pseuds/MJays</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Camp Leaders AU!<br/>Gimli goes for a walk far out in the woods when he finds himself in a peculiar situation. Running into Legolas was all fine and dandy, but sitting partly hidden in some foliage when the elf goes skinny dipping? Not such a humorously peculiar situation.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gimli (Son of Glóin) &amp; Legolas Greenleaf, Gimli (Son of Glóin)/Legolas Greenleaf</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Gigolas Camp AU! [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1846567</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>67</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>By the Empty Lake</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>First part of a Camp leaders AU because of a random AU idea generator haha :D <br/>Hope you like it and have a lovely day! &lt;3&lt;3&lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hiding as best as he could among the foliage, Gimli covered his burning red face with his hands, wishing to which ever deity would listen to him that Legolas wouldn't see him. </p><p> </p><p>How had he even gotten himself into this situation?!<br/><br/>It was ridiculous, awfully so, and he'd done absolutely nothing to deserve this. </p><p> </p><p>Gimli had stayed hidden and watched Legolas a few times before, but that had been in a completely different scenario. For some reason, the dwarf found himself immensely interested in watching Legolas practice archery. The first time he’d done it, he was just picking up some things from a nearby shed to have for his next class. </p><p> </p><p>Only just when he was leaving, had he seen Legolas there as well, a bit into practice with his longbow. Of course, as an archery instructor for the students, Gimli knew Legolas was good. But they were teaching young children after all, who’s hands were only just getting the hang of how to properly handle the fickle weapon. So really, a master wasn’t exactly needed (rather someone who could properly gain discipline and interest from the children wielding weapons, and Gimli hated to admit Legolas most definitively knew how to do that). What he’d quickly learned however, when looking across the field at the familiar blonde, was that he was far from a novis.</p><p> </p><p>Legolas had handled the beautifully forged bow with such incredible grace, as if it had actually been an extension of himself. Hitting target after target, often so rapidly that Gimli couldn’t even follow it, he’d made Gimli question whether or not this was a dude you should pick a fight with, who ever you were. It was a powerful display, far beyond impressing, but it was more than that.</p><p> </p><p>Legolas had looked so concentrated yet loose, all the tension in his shoulders (from those many kids, but maybe mostly from Gimli himself) all gone. And later, Gimli remembered how much he’d laughed at dinner, how utterly care free he’d seemed for the rest of the evening.</p><p> </p><p>Gimli knew fully well that Legolas spent a lot of his free time on the range, and he’d caught him practicing a few times since then. A lot of the kids had too of course, just as in awe as Gimli had grumpily admitted that maybe he was.</p><p> </p><p>But today was a different story, and this time, Gimli didn't mean to sneakily stare at him. </p><p> </p><p>Legolas had left after breakfast to head out on a walk, he’d said. It was a day off from activities, as each Sunday always was, and the only work to be done was lunch, dinner and the constantly needed eye keeping of the students. But as always they’d divided it up, and both Legolas and Gimli were free until they were to make the dinner together, leaving Aragorn and Arwen to handle lunch this time around.</p><p> </p><p>A while after Legolas had left, Gimli decided that he too wanted to venture out in the woods. He wasn’t as much of a tree hugger as that darned elf, (Gimli thought he’d die the time he shoved his ax into a tree in display of it’s strength. Legolas hadn’t forgiven him for days, even after the blonde had knocked him in the stomach with an already fallen branch of the same tree as revenge). But even so, Gimli could appreciate the peace and quiet that came from leaving the restricted area the students could venture in. He could go to his caves of course, but he’d spent so much time there with the children that he suspected a bit of sunshine might be good for him. Not too much though. He still preferred some sorts of indoors.</p><p>So he’d headed off in a pretty brisk pace, not really slowing down to take in the nature around him. He’d seen trees before, after all. All summer in fact.</p><p> </p><p>He only stopped once he came upon a small lake. He had to admit that it was indeed really pretty.</p><p>There was a much bigger lake closer to the camp which he’d swam at before, and looking up at the sky, Gimli realized he’d headed further of than originally planned. Luckily for him, he had plenty of water with him, given how much the sun was beating down upon him. He also had a big sandwich for lunch, he remembered, as he decided that this was as good a place as any to sit down and eat it. It was quiet and secluded, although the young trees and high bushes were surprisingly packed around him. He found a good spot a bit away from the water that was open enough for him to lay down on, but still close enough that he could see the light playing around on the beautiful lake.</p><p> </p><p>There was no rushing him, so Gimli sat around for quite some time, slowly enjoying his meal and basking in the sunlight. Dismissing the couple of mosquitoes that wouldn’t seem to leave him alone, he had to admit it wasn’t such a bad day at all to go out and enjoy the woods.</p><p> </p><p>He idly wondered if Legolas had found a nice place to talk to trees at that fine day, laughing slightly to himself at the thought. Legolas knew the woods much better than him after all, and for a moment Gimli considered asking him whether or not there were more places like this around. He wished he’d known about this one after all.</p><p> </p><p>His thoughts were interrupted as he heard some rustling around from close by.</p><p> </p><p>Another hiker, Gimli thought with slight dismay, subconsciously ducking slightly down among the trees to avoid having to converse with them. What ever would someone be doing out here in the middle of no where anyway? Coming to disturb Gimli’s new found happy place, the nerve!</p><p> </p><p>Still, he sneaked a glance towards the sound, and soon found a very familiar head of long blonde hair.</p><p> </p><p>Gimli wasn’t exactly sure what he felt at realizing that oh yeah, that was definitively Legolas over there, bending down to put down a scarcely filled shoulder bag on the ground.</p><p> </p><p>Deciding he would rather say hello than get embarrassingly caught in the act of ignoring his college, Gimli figured that a funnier way to do that was to give Legolas a bit of a scare. It was something he’d tried before after all, together with a few mischievous hobbits, but none of them had ever really managed it. But out here, Legolas couldn’t possibly be expecting him!‌ He'd be damned if he wouldn’t have an hilarious story to carry home to the kids!</p><p> </p><p>Sitting up slowly while trying to find a nice route to sneak up on him, Gimli suddenly felt his throat close up.</p><p> </p><p>Because Legolas had expertly put his hair up in a messy bun, and tied off his boots to put them next to the bag while Gimli contemplated his plan. That was all fine and dandy. But then he pulled his t-shirt over his head and moved to step out of his shorts.</p><p> </p><p>Gimli could feel the way his face immediately went a hundred degrees, and he swiftly dove back down again, taking cover in the foliage.</p><p> </p><p>Oh shit. <em>Oh shit</em>.</p><p> </p><p>This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t-</p><p> </p><p>Trying to force down the extreme redness of his face by pure will, Gimli noticed that the heat pooling in his stomach was yet another problem. By the gods, he couldn’t just get turned on like that!‌ It was wrong and entirely unfair to Legolas!‌</p><p> </p><p>Knowing fully well that he’d have to get out of there and as soon as possible, Gimli chanced a small glance only so he could know whether or not Legolas had noticed him. What he saw however, was the brown bag, the shoes and the socks, and what was most definitively a full set of disregarded clothes.</p><p>Oh gods, oh gods, <em>oh gods</em>!</p><p> </p><p>Gimli was a noble man!‌ What did he do to get himself into this situation!‌ He couldn’t just <em>look</em>, even if there was a part of him that most certainly wished too. Of course he knew Legolas was attractive, it was hard not to know that. But the affection he felt for him had only became obvious in the last couple of weeks. It was new, scary and most definitively not something Gimli could <em>handle</em>.</p><p> </p><p><em>I have to get out of here</em>, he thought in a bit of a frenzy, and as quickly and quietly he could, he started packing down his things. If Legolas found out he'd been sneaking around in the bushes, it would be even harder to get forgiven for than the injured tree incident, by far.</p><p> </p><p>Only, as his hands fumbled, he accidentally dropped his metallic water bottle, which just so happened to clank down a few stones and make a few much too loud noises.</p><p> </p><p>Gimli took in a breath, dread filling his chest. Legolas had the keenest hearing and eyesight he'd ever stumbled across anyone to have, and he simply must have been heard!</p><p> </p><p>Might as well make himself known then, he thought in despair, as Legolas had most certainly seen him already.<br/><br/>Standing up in defeat, Gimli was ready to head down and explain himself, even apologize (no matter if his pride from all their many competitions kind of got in the way of that). </p><p> </p><p>But he soon noticed that Legolas hadn't seen him at all. The blonde was spaced off into his own world, as he so often seemed to be. Reaching up to let his hair out of that bun, he soon had it floating around him on the surface of the water that reached nearly to his shoulders. Dropping his head down the surface once, he stayed under for just a moment before resurfacing, his once light hair now a facinating bit darker, clinging to his slightly tanned skin.</p><p> </p><p><em>Beautiful</em>, Gimli thought to himself before he could hinder the thought. But he mustn't think like that! Legolas had been openly gay from the start of the three summers they'd worked together, but that didn't give Gimli any kind of right to think anything improper about him!</p><p> </p><p>Gimli had known since he was young that he was pan sexual, as was very common among dwarfs as there were very few physical and cultural differences between the genders. But Legolas had most certainly not seemed to be his type. Elves were supposedly all arrogant, fickle and dull. Dwarfs were far better to be trusted, and Gimli liked his partners strong, adventurous and exciting. Of bloody course he would slowly realize Legolas were all those things in abundance.</p><p> </p><p>He couldn't really help his fascinated staring as Legolas leaned back slightly to halfway float on the water, a content smile on his face that was visible even from Gimli's location. When he started humming to himself a familiar tune Gimli had heard him whistle before, Gimli felt even more like a trespasser.</p><p>For Valars sake, he was watching one of his closest friends bath without clothes and without any consent to be there. He had to leave, and he had to leave now.</p><p> </p><p>Picking up his bag as quietly as he could, Gimli was just about to head off when he noticed the quiet humming had abruptly stopped.</p><p> </p><p>Once more, dread filled the man as he slowly turned his head around.</p><p> </p><p>And this time, Legolas was staring at him with wide eyes, no longer floating and no longer content. No, more like shocked, and very evidently beet red in the face.</p><p> </p><p><em>Shit</em>.</p><p> </p><p>A beat passed between them, in which Gimli knew his own face went scarlet as well. Neither made a sound, until suddenly, Legolas simple dove back down under the surface.</p><p> </p><p>Spluttering out a few words that didn't make any sense, Gimli stared after him. Soon enough, Legolas head popped up again but much closer to the shore, evidently about to make his escape from the water.</p><p>Gimli's face was still heating much more than it could have been from the sun, and shame went deep in his chest. He was a terrible person. A complete pervert. He'd trespassed, and bloody hell this must look so bad from Legolas' perspective. Legolas would never talk to him again, he was sure! Or maybe the far more likely option, Legolas would simply run to fetch his bow and shoot him at first opportunity. Maybe he'd even strangle Gimli right then and there.</p><p> </p><p>Mind reeling, Gimli thought that maybe there was only one thing he could do. He'd have to even this out.</p><p>Before he could change his mind, (or perhaps re evaluate the foolish plan) he'd started running towards the water, pulling his shirt over his head. Not stopping to see how Legolas reacted, he pulled his pants and underwear down and stumbled out of them before immediately canon balling down into the cold water. Legolas stared at him, hands pushing his drenched hair out of his very shocked face. </p><p> </p><p>And then the elf burst out laughing. Shaking his head violently and laughing so hard he nearly toppled right over, Legolas covered his face with his hands and sunk down so the water reached his chin.</p><p> </p><p>Gimli couldn't help it, the loud laughter contagiously got to him as well.</p><p> </p><p>Soon enough, it somehow escalated to the two throwing water at each other, a hard task given how Gimli just barely managed to reach the bottom with his toes. Playing around, time flew by without any grasp as  their laughter kept echoing around the otherwise empty lake.</p><p> </p><p>Finally though, Legolas managed to calm himself down enough to have the conversation Gimli didn't really dread any more.</p><p> </p><p>“I suppose I don't have much to hold against you for sneaking around,” Legolas said, voice still tinged with glee as he rubbed the water Gimli had thrown away from his eyes. “I guess it was some sort of mistake,” he continued, and Gimli felt glad Legolas knew he'd never willingly do such an unmanly thing as what the situation had seemed.</p><p> </p><p>Gimli was just about to apologize and give his explanation, when Legolas suddenly looked at him again, a crooked grin on his lips mixed with a slightly confused frown.</p><p> </p><p>“But, Gimli... you know I have swimming trunks on, right?”</p><p> </p><p>For what felt like the millionth time that day, all of Gimli's blood rushed to his face, just as quickly as his hands subconsciously went to cover his groin.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>WELL SHIT.</em>
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